Question of the Week
Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...
What parasites can I catch from my pets?
From worms to fleas and even microscopic single celled organisms, our pets can transfer a world of parasites to us if we are not careful. Prof Susan Little, a Veternary Parasitologist tells us what parasites we might catch and how we might prevent them.
Why do I urinate more in the cold?
Have you ever noticed that you urinate more frequently in cold weather? Why does this happen?
Are smartphones changing our brains?
It's said that taxi drivers' brains have increased growth in certain areas from navigating around cities. Is increasing smartphone use having a similar effect on other parts of our brains?
Does same-sex attraction happen in animals too?
Is homosexual behaviour seen in other species? What do they do? Why? Find out in this week's Question of the Week…
Why does petrol create a rainbow on water?
We find out why petrol creates a rainbow effect when in contact with water, and how the behaviour of light can create all these colours.
Can we vacuum up the plastics in our oceans?
Could we clean up our oceans of plastics by fitting vacuum cleaners to ships to suck them up?
Is it tiring to dream you're awake?
Different waking dream states can affect whether you feel resfreshed or not after a nights sleep.
Do we really need vitamins?
We chew over some important questions relating to vitamins, including what are they? Do we really need them? Can our bodies store them? And what would happen if we didn't consume any?
What causes the Earths plates to move?
Where does the energy in the movement of tectonic plates come from? Apparently the reason is analogous to how your porridge gets heated up in the morning. We find out why!
Can you catch a yawn from a cat?
Why do we yawn? Is it because we're short on air? Matthew Boniface wanted to know this and whether he could catch a yawn from his cat. We spoke to Dr Hugh Matthews from Cambridge University to find out what makes them so contagious…
Will flights ever get faster?
14 hour flights sound like your idea of hell? Paul Jenn wrote in asking whether it was possible to speed up plane journeys, so we went to Neil Scott, head of engineering at Airbus, to find out.
What would happen if you were swallowed by a whale?
If you were swallowed by a whale, could you swim out and up through the oesophagus or would you be digested by the stomach acid? Plus, we ask about the future of flight: Are we going to be forever stuck in this air speed? What are the constraints of aerodynamics?…
Why is my Movember moustache grey?
Facial hair a different colour to that on your head? We stroke our beards to ponder why. Plus we ask, what happens when you get swallowed by a whale?
How will life end on Earth?
Will we cause our own demise by burning the candle at both ends? Or will it be something like the giant impact that caused the dinosaurs to go extinct? What do you think?
Why do leaves turn red in autumn?
Why do leaves turn red in the autumn? And how do they know when it is time to drop?
How can I avoid being struck by lightning?
Listener Ahmed has been struck by lightning twice! Is he prone to attracting lightning, or just unlucky?
How many people have lived on Earth?
How many people have lived on Earth? We do some number crunching.
How does self cleaning glass work?
Windows, computer screens and phones that never get grubby? What's the chemistry making that self cleaning glass possible?
What makes a good password?
We hack our heads to find out how we can make a secure password. Plus we scrub up the issue and ask: how does self-cleaning glass work?
What happens if a bee gets lost?
If you accidentally relocate a bee in your car, what happens? Would it join another colony or would that be it for the lost bee? For the answer to this insterest-sting question, we spoke to Henry Ferguson-Gow from the Zoological Society of London.